Ilex plant named ‘David Carroll’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Ilex  plant named ‘David Carroll’, characterized by its compact and rounded plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit; bright yellow green-colored leaves; and good garden performance and winter hardiness.

Botanical designation: Ilex×meserveae.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DAVID CARROLL’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct Ilex plant,botanically known as Ilex×meserveae and hereinafter referred to by thename ‘David Carroll’.

The new Ilex plant is a naturally-occurring branch mutation ofIlex×meserveae ‘Blue Princess’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,675.The new Ilex plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor inNovember, 2003 on a single plant within a population of plants of ‘BluePrincess’ in a controlled environment in Wayne Township, Pa.

Asexual reproduction of the new Ilex plant by hardwood cuttings in WayneTownship, Pa. since December, 2003 has shown that the unique features ofthe new Ilex plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Ilex have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and aredetermined to be the unique characteristics of ‘David Carroll’ and incombination distinguish ‘David Carroll’ as a new and distinct Ilexplant:

-   -   1. Compact and rounded plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit.    -   3. Bright yellow green-colored leaves.    -   4. Good garden performance and winter hardiness.

Plants of the new Ilex differ from plants of the mutation parent, ‘BluePrincess’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ilex are slower-growing than plants of        ‘Blue Princess’.    -   2. Plants of the new Ilex have bright yellow green-colored        leaves whereas plants of ‘Blue Princess’ have green-colored        leaves.

Plants of the new Ilex can be compared to the plants ofIlex×meserveae×Ilex aquifolium ‘Hachfee’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat.No. 14,310. In side-by-side comparisons plants of the new Ilex differedfrom plants of ‘Hachfee’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ilex were shorter than plants of ‘Hachfee’.    -   2. Plants of the new Ilex had bright yellow green-colored leaves        whereas plants of ‘Hachfee’ had dark green-colored leaves.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Ilex plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Ilex plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of typicalplants of ‘David Carroll’.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflowering plant of ‘David Carroll’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and following observationsand measurements were grown during the winter and spring in two-galloncontainers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Grand Haven, Mich.and under cultural practices typical of commercial Ilex production.Plants were three years old when the photographs and detaileddescription were taken. In the following description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Ilex×meserveae ‘David Carroll’.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of Ilex×meserveae    ‘Blue Princess’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,675.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By hardwood cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 25 days at            temperatures about 26° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 42 days at            temperatures about 13° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 126 days            at temperatures about 26° C.        -   Root description.—Thick, fibrous and somewhat fleshy.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Perennial shrub; compact and rounded            plant habit; vigorous growth habit.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; dense and bushy            growh habit with about twelve primary lateral branches            developing per plant.        -   Plant height.—About 30 cm.        -   Plant diameter, area of spread.—About 27 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 27 cm. Diameter:            About 1 cm. Internode length: About 5 mm to 15 mm. Strength:            Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color, developing: Close            to 151B. Color, developed: Close to 200A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.        -   Length.—About 3.5 cm to 4 cm.        -   Width.—About 2.4 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Obtuse to truncate.        -   Margin.—Serrate with short spines.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;            leathery.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 151C;            towards the apex, close to 184A. Developing leaves, lower            surface: Close to 151A; towards the apex, close to 176C.            Fully expanded leaves, upper surface of upper leaves: Close            to 151D and becoming closer to 141B; venation, close to 151B            and 141B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface of upper            leaves: Close to 144B; venation, close to 144B. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface of lower (shaded) leaves:            Close to 135A; venation, close to 135A and towards the base,            close to 144B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface of lower            (shaded) leaves: Close to 143C; venation, close to 144B.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and            lower surfaces of upper leaves: Close to 145A. Color, upper            and lower surfaces of lower (shaded) leaves: Close to 144A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower appearance and arrangement.—Single axillary rotate            flowers; flowers typically in clusters of two to five per            axil; flowers face upright to outwardly.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower in the early spring            in Michigan; flowers not persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flower diameter.—About 9 mm.        -   Flower length (height).—About 4 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Shape: Spherical to oblong. Color: Close to 157B.        -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: About four in a single            whorl. Length: About 4 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Oblong.            Apex: Obtuse; cupped upward. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening,            upper surface: Close to 155C; apical spot, close to 4C. When            opening, lower surface: Close to 155C. Fully opened, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 155C.        -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: About four in a single            whorl. Length: About 1 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Shape:            Obovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: Upright to outwardly.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 145B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity per flower: About            four. Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther shape: Elliptic.            Anther color: Close to 155C. Pollen amount: Scarce.            Gynoecium: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About            3 mm. Style length: About 3 mm. Style color: Close to 144B.            Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: Close to 151A. Ovary            color: Close to 151C. Fruits (berries): Length: About 8 mm.            Diameter: About 8 mm. Shape: Spherical. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color, immature: Close to 150A. Color, mature:            Close to 45B. Seeds: Viable seed development has not been            observed on plants of the new Ilex.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Ilex have been observed to    have good garden performance and to be tolerant to rain, wind and    low temperatures about −15° C.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants have not been observed to be    resistant to pathogens and pests common to Ilex plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Ilex plant named ‘David Carroll’ asillustrated and described.